John Stiegemeyer’s association with barbershop singing began the year he called Mall City — to arrange for a singing valentine for Grace. The man who took his order found out that he sang in a church choir and tried to recruit him over the phone. John was intrigued.

The next year, Grace arranged for the Sweet Adelines, a female barbershop group, to serenade John at their daughter’s wedding, which happened to be John and Grace’s 34th wedding anniversary.

“That clinched it,” Grace said. “Everybody loved the Sweet Adelines coming in to sing a love song for him. And he decided to do barbershop.”

The singing valentines are a long-standing fundraiser for the Mall City Harmonizers and John began delivering the vocal love notes soon after joining the group.

Grace said she didn’t mind at all.

“We have never been big celebrators of Valentine’s Day,” she said. “We would usually go out for dinner before or after Valentine’s because the places weren’t so crowded and busy.”

When she worked, he and the quartet usually stopped by her office to sing to her.

“The whole office enjoyed them coming in to sing,” she said. “So, I did see him at least once during the day on Valentine’s Day.”

The love and support of wives, girlfriends, daughters helps make the singing valentines program work.

Mary Flegel’s husband of 72 years, Larry, passed away in October. He delivered singing valentines for 16 years.

“I loved it,” Mary Flegel said. “They most always came and sang to me too. They were just a wonderful bunch of guys. It’s nice to be sung to. Valentine’s was always a happy day for him.

“I never minded that he did it. It brought so much happiness to him. We have four daughters and they loved to talk to him that night to find out what he did and who they sang to. Most times he had enough voice to sing to them too.”

The Flegel’s daughter Anne Kirby drove her father’s quartets on their Valentine’s Day missions for about 10 years. They delivered songs to schools, bowling alleys, nursing homes, offices, homes, car showrooms, varsity basketball games — and most memorably in a hospital room where one quartet member’s daughter was with her newborn baby.

“And they always sang a special song for me,” Kirby said. “We might be sitting down the road, waiting for someone to come home and they would warm up a bit then say, ‘This one is for the driver.’

Since retiring Grace Stiegemeyer has also picked up the role of chauffer for her husband’s quartet, and John Stiegemeyer says he appreciates her efforts.

“We’ll be out until 8 o’clock tomorrow,” he said. “I really try in general to do something before or after to treat her some how. It pays to take care of your investment, and I have a lot invested in her after 47 years.”

Grace Stiegemeyer laughs on the other extension,” I’m going to have to remember that’s how you think about things,” which causes her husband to laugh too.

Really, said Grace, who does not sing, driving the quartet around is “even more fun than sitting in the office and hearing them sing,” she said. “I get to see the smiles on the faces of the people they sing to.

“Then I get to hear the guys talk when they get in the car. They’ll talk about if they surprised people, how many people came in to hear them. Being with all that joy is a great day.”

Linda S. Mah is the Community Engagement Specialist for the Kalamazoo Gazette. Contact her at lmah@mlive.com or 269-303-6567.